Afghan Taliban offer security for TAPI gas pipeline

ISLAMABAD/KABUL: Afghan Taliban on Tuesday said it will protect key infrastructure projects in the war-torn nation including the $10 billion TurkmenistanAfghanistan-pakistan-india (TAPI) gas pipeline.

The Taliban, which is blamed for targeting aid workers and damaging millions of dollars worth infrastructure in the country, in a statement pledged to protect Afghan government’s major projects such as highways, railways and others.

“The Islamic Emirate not only backs all national projects which are in the interest of the people and result in the development and prosperity of the nation but are also committed to safeguarding them,” the group said.

“The Islamic Emirate directs all its mujahideen to help in the security of all national projects that are in the higher interest of Islam and the country,” the statement said, referring to the group’s fighters.

The statement promises to protect $10 billion TAPI gas pipeline project and a multi-billion dollar copper mine known as Mes Aynak, south of Kabul, being developed by China.

The ambitious TAPI pipeline project launched last December India gas to run its power plants.

The TAPI pipeline will have a capacity to carry 90 million standard cubic metres a day (mmscmd) gas for a 30-year period. India and Pakistan would get 38 mmscmd each, while the remaining 14 mmscmd will be supplied to Afghanistan.

TAPI will carry gas from Turkmenistan’s Galkynysh field, better known by its previous name South Yoiotan Osman that holds gas reserves of 16 trillion cubic feet.

From the field, the pipeline will run to Herat and Kandahar province in Afghanistan, before entering Pakistan.

COURT STOPS SHARIF GOVT FROM DEPORTING TURKISH EXPATRIATES

In a setback to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a Pakistani court on Tuesday stopped his government from deporting about 400 Turkish expatriates, mostly schoolteachers and their families, which was aimed at appeasing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Lahore high court justice Shams Mahmood Mirza passed an interim order on a writ petition filed by Turkish principal Mehmet Ali Seker and other teachersofthepak Turkeduca